Designing The Town of Light box art

The Town of Light is a rich world, both in the context of its history and story, but one of its most standout elements is the incredible art. Produced in house by artists at Tuscany based studio LKA.it, the illustrations within the game underpin some of the story’s most poignant and heart-breaking moments and through Renée’s Diary give additional depth to the game’s young protagonist.

So here is a question that we faced – ‘For a story so rich in emotion, how do we capture that in one image from the box-art?’

Above: Six early box artwork concepts for The Town of Light

We looked at concepts old and new - by the time we became involved in the project a huge breadth of art, including the diary, had already been produced. Within the diary (the segments of which can be found in game around the Charcot) there is one image that jumped out at us – an image or Renée stripped bare, curled up on the ground, the whole canvas covered with great shooting cracks. This, as an image with so much depth and poetry, led it to be considered an early concept.

Below: Several concepts showing the fractured design alongside the end visual for the Collector’s Edition

Demonstrating the turbulence within the narrative was important but ultimately, we felt that certain art without the additional context the game gives, offered the impression of a horror game – something that the Town of Light never was and this realisation led us ultimately to move in a more contemplative direction. Tthe use of cracks or fractures were transferred into a stunning 3D varnish exclusive to The Town of Light Collector’s Edition.

There are two prominent elements within the game which always had to form an integral part of any art – these being the Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra (the Asylum) where the game finds its setting and Renée herself. The balance between these in prominence was a delicate one, Renée is the game’s protagonist, but she is an amalgamation of the lives of the asylum’s many residents.

There was an image from some time back, of Renée standing outside the Asylum, created by LKA. No matter what concepts we created, nothing could portray the emotion like that image. The team reworked it slightly, paying attention to the light breaking through the shadows. We think it captures everything; the raw emotion, the light that tormented Renée’s so very much. We showed it to the wider team, and close family and friends. All agreed... this was the cover of The Town of Light.

The Town of Light has been an incredible project for the whole team to work on. We're truly proud of the game. From the story to the art.

About The Town of Light

Play through the eyes of Renée, a 16-year-old girl who suffers from the symptoms of mental illness. She is searching for answers to the many questions from her past, whilst exploring the place where she spent most of her youth. Guide Renée through a dark and emotional journey where the lines between entertainment, storytelling and reality blur.